To
circumcise or not to circumcise, that is the question that many parents
of newborn baby boys have to ponder. Now, the American Academy of Pediatrics
have released a new policy endorsing circumcision:

"There is clear evidence that supports the health benefits of
circumcision," said Susan Blank, who led the 14-member task force
that formulated the
new policy being published in the journal Pediatrics.

The statement, and accompanying technical
report, marks the first revision of the organization's position
since 1999, when the academy backed away from circumcision. At that
time, the group, which represents about 60,000 pediatricians nationwide,
concluded that there was no clear evidence for or against circumcising
newborns. The group affirmed that position in 2005.

Since then, the popularity of circumcision in the United States has
declined. Only about 56 percent of newborn males are circumcised.

The academy's task force spent seven years combing through the latest
research, analyzing more than a thousand studies. Their conclusion?